Patrick Stevens' coverage of college sports in D.C./Baltimore/Virginia, just the same as ever

Best Eats Guide

09/13/2010

More than a month ago, I asked fans throughout the ACC to come at me with some of their favorite places to eat, both around their favorite school and across the league.

The response, needless to say, was overwhelming.

I'd be here all day if I included every suggestion, but they were all looked at. For the most part, I tried to piece together seven options for every town in the league --- plus Greensboro (ACC basketball tournament).

Some ground rules on this.

* No large chains if at all possible. A place with one or two locations, or one centralized in a single city, is OK. A multi-state conglomerate, not so much.

* "Best eats" doesn't necessarily mean "finest food." There are some excellent restaurants on this list. Heck, a couple even require reservations. But a fan on a road trip isn't always going to want an exquisite culinary experience. Often, a high-value hole-in-the-wall with great food provides an even better experience.

* My experiences count. At least one nominee got squelched because of a lousy experience on a road trip. Quite a few made it because of personal experience, and they'll be noted accordingly.

* This isn't an all-encompassing list. There are other good places to get a meal in all of these towns. These just happen to be the ones I knew about already or had readers nominate. Have a better suggestion? Leave it in the comments and it'll get a look when this guide is revisited in another year.